Envelope feeder



V 1 629450 May 17, C L. POST I ENVELOPE FEEDER 4 Filed March 19, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet l w a dfia afw w @i/ May 1927' c. L. POST ENVELOPE FEEDER 4- Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1924 @UGIZW' C dzzde, 1.7357

1,629,450 May 17,1927. c. L. POST ENVELOPE FEEDER Filed March 19. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1629450 7 9 c. 1.. POST ENV LOPE FEEDER Filed March 19, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 8;

Patented May 17, 1927.

UNI-TE!) STA TES PATENT 310FFI5CE.

CLAUDE-.11. rose, or CHlCAGO, IL INOI ENVELOPE FEEDER..-

Appl icatien filed March 19, 1924. Serial No. 7QO,4 03.

provide means for automatically preventing contact between theplaten and the type of the press whenever there'is no envelope or sheet gassing through the press.

Another object of my invention is to provide a' new and improvedmeans of feeding the envelopes from the magazine tothe rolls and maintaining said envelopes in absolute registry with the rolls during the feeding thereto. 7

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in'the art from the disclosnreherein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding Par Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved device, 7 r

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View of the platen and type rolls showing the means for preventing contact therebetween when there is no envelope passing between the rollsz. i

Fig. 4. is a section taken substantially on line 4+4: of 3:

Fig. 5 is a scctiontaken substantially on line 5 of Fig. 4; I

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the locking arm or catch member;

' Fig. 7 is radial cross-section through the driving wheel, taken on the line 7-f7 of Fig. 8 is a longitudinalsection of the same, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a plan view of one of the ad iustable bottom plates for the envelope magazinc; and

Fig-10 is a plan view of the cooperating adjustable bottom plate.

. In the. Pre e red fi in o e t ii t i a shown in the drawings, I have shown the device as used in connection with a press for feeding envelopestrom a magazine, conveyingthem between a pair of feed rolls and thence discharging them atthe rear of the press. It is to be understood, however, that my device is not limited to envelopes. but may. be used. for. feeding any other similar objects or materials, such as sheets or the like.v i I l'represents a supporting frame for the printing mechanism, the same suitably sup-,-

ported so asto be ofthe correct height-for most eflic ent operation. Theenvelopes are retainedin a n'lagazine 2 and are fed from r the bottom, one at a time, automatically through printing rolls and are then discharged therefrom for removal. The printing rolls comprise a. pair of rolls-3 and 4 resp ctively, the former being the type" roll and the latter the platen roll, and througl-i which the envelopes must pass to. hey im printed. These rolls are driven positively in unison through any form of gearing or the like, and in any desired manner, both of said rolls rotating. at the same rateot speed.

In the particularv device shown, the drive shaft 5 has a friction wheel 6 thereon, engageable with a disk 7 which, in turn, is drivingly connected to thegears carried by the rolls 3 aud t. adjustable radially of the disk, so that the driving speed of the disk may be regulated as desired. A

It is to benoted that the platen roll 4 has the ends of its shaftS mounted 1n cc centrically bored bushings, as shown more clearly in'Figkl, for a purpose to be more clearly hereinafter described.

The magazine 2 comprises a pair of ad pistable base plates Q and 10, there bemg upbase plates 9 and 1Q'have elongated bolt, receiving fastening slots 12 therethrough so that they may, be adjustably positioned on the frame-work supporting the maga zine. Thus the magazine or envelope receptacle may be adjusted for various, lengths f nvelop .T e o ard. ed es f he bottom plates Stand-1Q are cut away so as to form asnhstant ially triangular recess for the printing rolls, and a finger 1 1, operated ill in any desired manner, is positioned adjaeent the discharge end of the magazine to engage the flaps of the envelopes and extend said flaps forwardly toward the printing rolls so that they may be frictionally held between the peripheral surfaces of feed rolls and 16, respectively, and pulled therethrough in the direction of the printing rolls, said feed rolls being positively driven.

In order to convey the envelopes positively as they are discharged from the feed rolls and deliver them to the printing rolls, while at the same time centering the envolopes, I have provided a pair of channel guides 17 to receive the side edges of the envelopes and support the envelopes during their travel to the printing rolls. These guides 17 are adjustable to accommodate envelopes of various lengths. Intermediate the side guides, I arrange spaced guides 37 to receive the flap portions of the envelopes.

In order to more positively actuate the envelopes during their travel, belt conveyors 18 are arranged beneath the centering channels and have lugs '19 spaced thereon at suitable intervals to engage the rear edges of the envelopes and convey or push them along. Adapted to cooperate with the roll 16, and drivingly connected therewith by a belt or chain 20, is a roll 21, whereby the envelopes are pressed downwardly and firmly held on the conveyor during travel through the guides.

The envelope at the bottom of the magazine has its flap extended forwardly by the finger 1d so that the flap is gripped between the f ed rolls 15 and 16 and thence moved through the channeled guides, the chain 20 pressing the envelopes downwardly until one of the lugs 19 engages the rear edge of the envelope and pushes the envelope past the roll 21. where said extended flap of the envelope is gripped between the rotating platen and type roll and is imprinted in its passage therethrough. Wheels 38 having torwardly extending teeth thereon, are carried on the lower chain drive shaft most closely adja-. cent theinagazin one wheel on each side of the chain 20, so that in case the forward edge of the extended flap of an envelope fed through the rolls 1516 is curled, the rotating wheels 38 will engage said curled portion and extend it so that it will enter the liap guides 37 without any buckling.

In order that the type roll and platen shall not come together whenever there is no envelope being fed therethrough, the roll 4c is mounted in the eccentric bushings 9', as previously described. Connected to one of these bushings, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4-, is a lever 22, so that when the lever is rocked or pivoted, the bushing will be oscillated to lower the rotational axis of the shaft 8 and thus separate the rolls 3 and 1.

For actuating the eccentric journals sinniltaneously, a gear segment 23 is operati'vely connected to the lever 22 and is adapted to mesh with a pinion 24 mounted on a shaft 25 extending'across the frame 1, the other end of the shaft 25, having a pinion thereon similar to the pinion 24 and intermeshing with a gear segment thereat rigidly connected to the eccentric bushing at the adjacent end of the shaft 8. j

A cam member 26 is drivingly connected to the shaft of the roll 3, but is slidable longitudinally thereof, said cam being of such a contour that it will operate the lever 22 only when rotating in the same plane therewith. In this instance, the cam' 26 is rigidly secured by screws 26 or the equivalent to a disc 26 mounted on the shaft 3, which disc may be considered as part of the cam as they are constrained to move as a single unit longitudinally of the shaft 3. An abutment or stationary cam 27 is carried on the frame 1 to engage the rotary cam 26 and retrieve said cam out of registry with the lever 22. but guiding said cam into registry therewith whenever said slidable cam is moved longitudinally of the shaft of the type roll 3 (to the right). A coiled spring 28 is interposed between the disc 26 and the adjacent end of the type roll. in order to con stantly urge the rotary cam to the right and into operative engagement with the lever 22.

As the lever 22 is intended to be oscillated only When there are no envelopes passing through the printing rolls. means n'iust be provided for normally preventing such operation and for automatically moving said. can] tov actuate the lever when thepassage of envelopes is interrupted. For this purpose a slotted lug, or pin 29 is fixed to the disc 26", the slot therein being indicated at 30. This pin is rigidly carried by the disc and projects inwardly of the inner side thereof.

A rocker shaft 31 is mounted on the stationary framework adjacent the printing when an envelope is passing beneath the arm 32, said arm will be raised or lifted by the enevelope, and when there is no envelope oil) beneath the arm, it wilt drop, due to; gravity and rock the shaft I A lever or arm is. carried by the rock shaft 3L adjacent the rotatable earn 26. and 1s adapted teen gage with. a catch or lock 11 her or arm 3% pivotallyearl. ed by the i 3, shown more clearly in Fig-sf 3, 4: and The width of the catch member 34 is suchthat it may entertheslot 30' formed in the pin 29 and hold the cam member in its retrieved position against the outwardly exerted pressure of the spring 28 v The operation of the means; for separating; the printing roll is as follows:

Assuming that there is no envelope in readiness foninsertionbetween the print--v ing rolls and that the rolls are rotating,fit will. be seen that the spring 28 constantly presses the rotary cam toward the stationary cam. The arm 33 will then be in the pose,

tion indicated: by dotted lines in 4. The continued rotation of the cam will cause it to slide off the stationary cam and engage with the rocker arm to actuate it to cause separation of the rolls. On account of the centrifugal force the locking pin 3d will; be thrown out of the slot and the cam 26 will be released thereby to actuate the eccentric bushings. A spring may be positioned toei-i-gagethe arm 22 to. return it to. its normal position after each actuation thereof.

When there is no envelope between the rolls, the catch 34' hits the arm 33', which is then in the position shown in dotted lines at in F i, but the catch is not moved sufficiently on its pivot to re-en-gage in the slot 30, and thus the cam 26 will not locked, but will ride over the cam 2-7 to the crest. of said cam and be again moved to its retrieved position, shown in full lines in Fig. 3, where-. upon in case there is still no envelope in posi. tion to pass through the printing rolls, the catch will again hit the arm 33 but fail to enter theslo-t, and the printing rolils will again separate. As soon as an envelope is in position for insertion between the rolls, the envelope-supported arm 32 will be lifted to rock the arm 33 to the full line position shown in Fig. 4, whereupon it may engage with the catch 34, this time causing said catch to enter into the slot and retain the movable cam locked in its retrieved position Thus in each rotationof printing rolls, the latch is released through centrifugal force and in case the feed of envelopes is uninterrupted the lock will be pressed back into the slot just as the rotary cam is at the end of its ride over the stationary cam and again lock said cam in place. However, in case the feed of envelopes is interrupted, the released latch will not be pushed back into the slot but will remain free until it again engages the arm 33, whereupon it will be either lifted to its unlatched position or will be lifted to its latched position in the slot, depending through the hubof sald friction, wheel, as

shown more clearly in li igs Ta-ndS. The hub 41 has a slot out through tlmiw of from. one cndas at 42, in regs! rv with the key-Way 43 in the shaft 5. The collar dO 'isbored to be moun-ted on the sleeve or hub v 41, the bore being recessed or cut backat one point so. as to form a substantially wide shal low groove or slot through the collar. A keyis formed of a narrow piece of material of a suificient thickness to enter through the reg istering slots 42 and 43, as at d5, the key then being bent later-ally at one end to form. a leg: 4C6 adapted to'be received within. the slot 477 out back from the bore of the collar.

A set screw 48 is arranged radially of the collar and is tightened down onto the key to hold it in place more securely. If desired, additional: set screws 49 may be en'iployed, This key is very easy to remove from t e shaft when it is necessary tov do so, as it can. be easily g tt n at-whcn the collar is slid oii the halo .41.. A shifting lever 50 is l-oo' Iv connected on the hub; of thefriction so as to shift the same axiallyof the shad; o

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial inodilications may be made in the same without dc parting from the spiritwofr my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood limall therelUO itin In .self tothe exact form construction 7 arrangement and combination of-parts herein shown and described, or uses nzientioned.

What I claim as new and desire to; secure by Letters Patent is:

lfThe combination with a pair of rolls. of means for separating said rolls whenever there is no material being fed thereto, a row tatable cam for actuating said separating means,v yieldingmeans for bringing said cam into a position wherein it will actuate said separating means, and meansoutside of said rolls and controlled by the material passing to said rolls for preventing said yielding means from bringing said cam into said position.

2. The combination with a pair of rolls, of means for separating said rolls whenever there is no material being fed thereto, a rotatable cam for actuating said separating means, said cam being constrained to rotate wit-hone of said rolls and having an axis of rotation coincident therewith, yielding'means for bringing said cam into a position where- I of means for separating said rolls whenever there is no material being fed thereto, a cam constrained to rotate in unison with one of said rolls for actuating said separating means, mechanism for bringing said cam into a posit-ion wherein it will actuate said separating means, and means controlled by the material passing to said rolls for pre venting said mechanism from bringing said cam into said position.

4. The combination with a pair of rolls, of means for separating said rolls whenever there is no material being fed thereto, a cam constrained to rotate in unison with one of said rolls for actuating said separating means, an element for bringing said cam into a position wherein it will actuate said separating means, and means including a member rotatable bodily with the cam for preventing said element from bringing said cam into said position.

5. The combination with apair of rolls, of means for separating said rolls whenever there is no material being fed thereto, a

cam constrained to rotate in unison with one of said rolls for actuating said separating means, resilient means for bringing said cam into a position wherein it will actuate said separating means, and means including a member rotatable bodily with the cam for preventing said. resilient means from bringing said cam into said position.

6. The combination with a'pair of rolls, of means for separating said rolls whenever there is no material being fed thereto, a cam constrained to rotate in unison with one of said rolls for actuating said separating mechanism, yielding means for bringing said cam into a position wherein it will actuate said separating mechanism means for pre venting said yielding means from bringing said cam into said position, and a stationary cam for displacing theiirst mentioned cam againstthe action of said yielding means.

7. The combination with a pair of rolls, of means for separating said rolls whenever there is no material being fed thereto, a cam having an axis of rotation coincident with that of one of said rolls and being constrained to rotate with said roll, yielding means for bringing said cam into a position wherein it will actuate said separating means, a member carried by said cam and rotatable bodily therewith, a second member constrained to rotate bodily with that roll which has its axis of rotation coincident with that of the cam, and means controlled by the mate ial passing to said rolls for causing said second member to engage first mentioned member to prevent said yielding means from bringing said cam into said position.

8. The combination with a roll, of a second roll, bearings for said rolls, means for eccentrically journaling the bearings for said second roll, means for displacing said last mentioned means to separate said rolls whenever there is no material being fed thereto, a rotatable cam for actuating said separating means, yielding means for bringing said cam into a position wherein it will actuate said separating means, and means controlled by the material passing to said rolls for preventing said yielding means from bringing said 'cam into said position.

9. In combination with a pair of rolls, means for separating said rolls whenever there is no material fed therethrough, a rotary cam, a latch normally holding said cam inoperative for actuating said separating means, a lever arm pivotally mounted in the path of said material, and a second arm rigidly connected to said first-mentioned lever arm so as to be actuated thereby and arranged adjacentsaid cam and operably engageable with said latch.

10. In combination with a pair of rolls, means for separating said rolls whenever there is no material being fed therethrough, a cam carried by one of said rolls, a slotted pin on said cam, a latch member movably mounted on said cam-carrying roll to engage in the slotof said pin to hold it in its inoperative position, a lever arm adjacent said rolls in the path of said material, a rock shaft fixed at one end of said arm, a second lever arm fixed to the other end of said rock shaft adjacent said latch member and operably engageable therewith when there is material passing to said rolls to move said latch member into said slot and to fail to move said last-mentioned member therein whentherc is no material passing to said rolls.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

CLAUDE L. Posr. 

